Mind-Body in Pilates? What does that mean?
What is Pilates? What does it mean to have a mind-body connection? What did Joseph Pilates want when he developed Contrology? How do you know if you are “doing” Pilates?
If you haven’t read the book “The Caged Lion” by John Steele go order it now and sit down and absorb the book as it will take you into the time and gym of Joseph Pilates. it is a fascinating read of the man by his client, a young lawyer at the time who would take lessons from Joseph Pilates. . It was fascinating to hear what it was like in Mr. Pilates gym, how he felt about his work, and how everyone should do it. He did not call it Pilates as we do today but he called it Contrology.
One very famous quote of Mr. Pilates is from his Return to Life book where he says “Contrology is complete co-ordination of the mind, body and spirit”. After reading the book the book written by John Steele his client, I thought of many of my clients and their Pilates experiences.
In Pilates we want full concentration and to really not leave space to think about anything else especially what is going on in the outside world. Sometimes this can be hard as we have things in our personal life or work life that we have in our brains that then seep into our body as well.
When we feel that stress or thinking of the outside world our breath can become a little shallow. We can feel a bit anxious or overwhelmed and as we all know a lot is going on in our world, it builds up in our bodies and minds. Joseph Pilates really believed that his work would de-stress, detox and make your mind and body clear and move in ways that were fully connected to mind and body.
In teaching clients it is important to let the client focus on theri movements and to focus on the words we the Pilates teacher are giving them. In Pilates we will find our own pace and flow. Start to focus on the breathing becoming deeper and deeper. The body becoming relaxed in a different way to find full range of movement and control of the work. The feeling when you are done with your Pilates session is feeling that body in a state of mobility and stability and strength. Your breathing and nervous system is calm and now capable of entering back into the real world with less stress.
Joseph Pilates created his work for each individual person so this is your time to think about yourself. To not think of what you are doing is right or wrong, or not good enough or could be better. It is seeing where you are in that moment, moving freely without judgment and seeing what we can do and where we can go with that. To be challenged in a way that is just for you and no one else.
Pilates is hard, it takes your full concentration in those moments and if you allow the outside world into the studio and your session that full concentration is gone.
Sometimes as we enter the Pilates studio we need to take that moment to breathe and just feel where our body is on the mat to clear those thoughts of the outside world away and get grounded. Other times we need to just really start moving to connect and get that mind and body to use some of that thought process and focus in a new way.
When it comes to Pilates and connecting to the work is unique to everyone. How we find that process can take time and there is no right or wrong way. It is also important to remember that every time it is a practice. Imagine the practice of not only body movement but how our mind is working in those moments.
I think that when Joseph Pilates talked about mind-body or you hear Pilates teachers say “it is a mind-body workout” it wasn’t our brain saying specifically do this or that but, letting your mind flow as your body is flowing in the work.
To explore and discover how things work for you and your body. To focus on the feel of the mat, where the body is in space, how to move from here to there in a full body range for you. To feel the feedback and support of the spring or your feet truly connected to the foot bar on the Reformer.
Instead of just moving and then thinking about the rest of your day or what you need to do later. To use your breathe to also lengthen and reach more!
If each time when you enter the studio you can connect your mind in that way as your body moves then I just picture Mr. Pilates standing up saying “Yes! Breathe! Move!”.
So, just do that! Then it is right for you!
Check out 2 Pilates Chicks Podcast “ Positive Cues are key for more on this subject!